Air ducts are commonly utilized in an automotive vehicle to transport air from one portion of the vehicle for distribution to another part of the vehicle. Such air ducts are typically formed of a plastic polymer material that may be molded to a desired shape. The shape is commonly dictated by other components within the vehicle which must be accommodated by the air ducts in a vehicle.
The air ducts commonly include one or more entrances or openings formed in the duct to mate with either another duct or to distribute the air via a register or opening. The size and shape of the entrance will be dictated by the design parameters of an air handling system. In the case where an entrance of a duct includes a severe aspect ratio, meaning the width has a corresponding distance that exceeds the height, or vice versa, commonly used molding techniques are insufficient to create such ducts. For example, where an entrance includes the severe aspect ratio, the duct may warp or deform its shape after being removed from a tool or mold resulting in ducts that are difficult to install on a vehicle.
Additionally, after a duct has been installed in a vehicle, the duct may be subjected to forces or loads either from an occupant of a vehicle or from other components installed in the vehicle. Such forces or loads may cause the duct to deform and possibly disengage from another duct.
There is therefore a need in the art for an improved air duct that will maintain its shape during the manufacture and molding of the duct, as well as exhibit improved rigidity and maintain the duct shape when it is installed in a vehicle.